A report by the Centre for Science and Environment states that US is the largest historical polluter and second largest emitter annually; has very high per capita CO2.
The study, titled ‘Capitan America (US climate goals: a reckoning)’, indicates how the world’s most powerful economy is doing very little to combat climate change. Referring to the American ‘climate action plan’ the CSE said the “US INDC is neither ambitious nor equitable” and it puts the world at “deadly risk” given the impacts of changing climate.
“The US’s consumption levels are mind-boggling. In 2013, a US household purchased items which were double that of the EU, 24 times that of China, and 44 times that of India.”
“Our analysis shows that the key economic sectors of the US economy -energy , transport, industry etc -are operating and would continue to operate till 2030 in a business-as-usual way , even as the rest of the world gears up to fight climate change,” said CSE director general Sunita Narain.
Report says that “On an average, an individual in the US today consumes 50 per cent more goods and services than in 1990.”
It says the US does not have a deliberate policy to reduce its consumption of primary energy or goods and services.
“US — and other rich nations — waste a lot of food. In 2010, 60 million tonnes of food was lost to wastage in the US, said the report.
“Lifestyle in the US is not changing as people are buying more cars; driving more because vehicles are now more efficient; building bigger houses; buying more appliances. As a result gains made in improvement in efficiency are being negated and lost completely in many sectors.”
“Reducing food losses by just 15 per cent would help feed over 25 million people every year, thereby reducing agriculture-related emissions.”
CSE’s deputy director general Chandra Bhushan, said, “The US has not put in place policies to shift its economy towards low carbon. The result is the US will produce and consume 20 per cent more fossil fuels in 2030 than what it does today . Renewable energy will only contribute about 15 per cent of primary energy in 2030 -up from 11 per cent currently .”
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